Caprolactam prices in Asia look set to continue rising in the near term on limited supply, as regional producers are not keen on boosting output so soon as their margins have just started to improve, market sources said on Friday.

Asia’s polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) producers are eyeing price increments to improve margins, but the extent of the increments might be limited because of weak demand, said industry players on Friday.

Asia’s naphtha backwardation is likely to weaken after prices skidded from record levels this week, falling to below $1,000/tonne (€760/tonne) on the recovery of Indian exports and rising shipments from the Middle East, traders said on Friday.

Asia polystyrene (PS) price uptrend will likely be capped as a result of retreating feedstock styrene monomer (SM) values this week despite an expected seasonal pickup in demand in the second quarter, producers and traders said on Wednesday.

China’s polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) import prices will be supported by high costs of feedstock, and may even increase up to the first half of March on restocking activity, industry sources said on Wednesday.

Buying activities for methanol in Asia are expected to pick up this week, with prices of the material likely to increase, as Chinese players return to the market after a week-long holiday, industry sources said on Monday.